Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of betraying the legacy of Moshood Abiola and turning Nigeria into a “personal estate” for a select few in power.
A statement issued to mark Democracy Day by Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary, said the federal government is dismantling the fundamental principles of democracy and undermining institutions meant to uphold justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
Ologunagba called on Nigerians to use the June 12 observance to “reawaken and strengthen their resistance to the ruling party’s anti-democratic agenda,” urging civil society groups, democratic institutions, development partners, and the international community to speak out against actions of the government.
“The PDP calls on Nigerians, institutions of democracy, organised civil society, development partners and all lovers of democracy to unite in speaking out against the stifling of democratic tenets of justice, the rule of law, a free, fair, peaceful and credible electoral process, and the right of citizens to freely participate in politics and governance,” the statement reads.
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The opposition party alleged that the APC has resorted to using state power to suppress dissent, weaken the opposition, manipulate the media, and weaponise poverty, all in a bid to entrench a one-party system.
Ologunagba also accused the presidency of colluding with the APC leadership in the national assembly and the judiciary to evade accountability and suppress democratic checks and balances.
He cited the 2024 Edo state governorship election and the recent appointment of a sole administrator in Rivers state as clear signs of “state capture” and a threat to democratic governance.
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“The brazen resort to state capture as exemplified in the subversion of the will of the people in the 2024 Edo state governorship election and the widely condemned imposition of a sole administrator in Rivers state, in blatant violation of the 1999 constitution, signpost a clear and present danger to our democracy,” he said.
Reflecting on the symbolism of June 12, Ologunagba described the day as a powerful reminder of Nigerians’ resistance to dictatorship and their demand for a transparent and accountable system — values he said were championed by Abiola.
He claimed that the PDP provided such a democratic atmosphere in its time in power, but “those values have since been eroded by the APC which masquerades as a political party”.
“The APC has turned Nigeria into a fiefdom and personal estate of a few individuals in power,” he added.
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The PDP called on the federal government to respect the memory of Abiola by adhering to democratic norms, ending interference in other arms of government, and allowing press freedom and credible elections.
The party also urged the national assembly, judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to assert their independence and operate strictly within the law.
